Chapter 46: Impersonating Me, I Must Catch Her (2)
“No… isn’t it?”
Jiang Liniang’s hand movements froze. To add more persuasiveness, she quickly added, “It’s not just me who saw it; your Master and those Senior Sisters also saw it.”
“But the problem is, I just arrived home. Who was here an hour ago?”
Cheng Hong Ling’s expression turned solemn. She then touched her smooth chin and paced around the room. She finally understood why everyone had been speaking so strangely before. It turned out someone had impersonated her earlier.
“That’s impossible! ‘She’ looks exactly like you, and she also has a strong scent of Golden Life Flower. Moreover, as your mother, I couldn’t possibly mistake my own daughter, right?”
Jiang Liniang stood up excitedly to explain. As the saying goes, a mother and daughter are connected by heart. That “girl” indeed gave her a feeling of blood connection, and that was undeniable.
“I’m afraid you really mistook your daughter, that was indeed an imposter.”
Cheng Hong Ling narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly.
“Ling’er, don’t scare Mother!”
The vegetables in Jiang Liniang’s hands dropped with a thud, and she leaned over in confusion.
“It’s okay, Mother! I promise ‘she’ won’t have a second chance to impersonate me.”
Cheng Hong Ling comforted her mother, a bad premonition suddenly arising in her heart. She quickly asked, “Mother! What did ‘she’ come home to do? Did ‘she’ touch anything?”
“‘She’ went to your room for a bit, looked at the Tongming Comb, changed her clothes, and then left.”
Jiang Liniang replied truthfully.
“Tongming Comb!”
Cheng Hong Ling’s expression changed slightly. She hurried into the room to check and then discovered the empty box.
“How is it? Did anything go missing?”
Jiang Liniang followed behind and asked with concern.
“The Tongming Comb was stolen by ‘her’.”
Cheng Hong Ling picked up the empty box with her jade-like hands to indicate, appearing not too flustered. After all, with her abilities, recovering it would not be difficult.
“What?”
Jiang Liniang was shocked and then choked with remorse, “It’s all Mother’s fault for not recognizing the imposter. That comb was a gift from your Master. How will I explain this to her now?”
“Mother, you said earlier that she changed into a different set of clothes before leaving. Was it that green Flowing Immortal Skirt?”
Cheng Hong Ling thought for a moment and suddenly remembered something.
“Yes, it was that dress.”
Jiang Liniang quickly replied.
“Heh, so it was her!”
Cheng Hong Ling sneered, and her graceful figure had already disappeared from the room. She never dreamed that the “female disciple” she encountered at the foot of the mountain was actually that imposter.
…
At this moment, Huang Qi was fleeing desperately along the official road, thinking that even if he were to die, he must take the Tooth Token back for registration before dying. Otherwise, in his current androgynous appearance, he would be an unregistered ghost even after death. Who would think of “Huang Qi.”
Huang Qi ran for a long time, feeling a sudden unease. He was just a small fry in the Juling Realm. Once Hong Ling Fairy pursued him, he would be caught quickly.
Huang Qi pondered for a moment and then darted into a nearby path. Just as he left, a blue graceful figure flashed past on the official road, disappearing like a ghost without a trace.
After entering the path, Huang Qi dared not relax at all and continued to sprint towards the Prefecture Capital. Although the road was rugged, fortunately, he had already stepped into the ranks of cultivators, so he moved as if on level ground.
About two hours later, Huang Qi finally entered the prefecture smoothly and began to plan his next move.
“I’m not familiar with the situation in the prefecture capital, and I don’t have time to inquire slowly. I must find someone I know to lead the way.”
Huang Qi quickly made a decision and began to select his target. After much thought, the most suitable person would be his cheap father, Cheng Yuan.
“But where is the Cheng Residence?”
Huang Qi recalled his dream experience but couldn’t find any information about the location of the Cheng Residence.
“Forget it, I’ll just ask directly. Hong Ling Fairy is famous, so many people should know her family’s address.”
Huang Qi calculated in his mind. So, he bought two steamed buns from a street vendor and asked the vendor for directions. The result was as he thought. Although most people in this prefecture capital had not interacted with Hong Ling Fairy, the location of the Cheng Residence was well-known.
“Cheng Residence? It’s at No. 19 Ruyi Street, East City.”
The stall owner replied without hesitation.
Huang Qi got the information and immediately rushed to the Cheng Residence. Although there was a risk of exposure when facing that “cheap father,” he couldn’t care about that anymore.
Huang Qi soon arrived at No. 19 Ruyi Street. Looking at it, the Cheng Residence now was no different from more than ten years ago; it was still that moderately sized courtyard house, which showed that Cheng Yuan was not a vain person.
Huang Qi took a deep breath, walked over, and knocked on the red lacquered door. He also took off his veil, fearing that the person inside wouldn’t recognize him.
The door quickly opened a crack, and a young man in his twenties poked his head out suspiciously. Judging by his simple clothing, he should be a servant in the Cheng Residence.
Huang Qi was startled because he didn’t recognize this person at all, so he didn’t know how to address him.
Fortunately, only servants needed to greet first.
“Miss! You’re back!”
As soon as the servant saw Huang Qi clearly, he was startled and quickly opened the main door.
“Where is my father?”
Huang Qi didn’t want to dwell on it and spoke familiarly.
“Replying to Miss, Master is in the study.”
The servant replied respectfully, his head bowed in inferiority, not daring to look at Huang Qi again.
“The study?”
Huang Qi recalled the dream and realized he had no idea where the study in the Cheng Residence was.
“Take me there!”
Huang Qi had no time to waste, so he decided not to beat around the bush and directly made his request.
A hint of confusion appeared on the servant’s face, but he obediently led the way.
Entering the courtyard, Huang Qi began to examine the home from his dream. After all, he had only seen it in his dream, and not very clearly. Now that he was here in person, he was naturally very curious.
Passing through a small garden, Huang Qi followed the servant to a side room.
“Master, Miss is back.”
The servant reported respectfully.
“What? My daughter is back?”
Cheng Yuan’s voice immediately came from the room, sounding very excited.
Huang Qi, however, couldn’t get excited at all. Seeing the real Hong Ling Fairy, he realized the significant gap between them, especially in temperament. Therefore, in front of such a close relative, he was very likely to be exposed.
The door opened, and Cheng Yuan, with a smiling face, walked out. Compared to more than ten years ago, he looked much more mature now, with a beard and darker, rougher skin, clearly indicating he had endured hardships.
Huang Qi was not surprised by this. Given Cheng Yuan’s character, he would never stand by idly. Over the years, he must have been trying to provide his daughter with the resources needed for cultivation.
“Oh my, it’s truly my precious daughter.”
Cheng Yuan’s face lit up with joy as soon as he saw Huang Qi. He quickly gestured, “Come in! Come in! I haven’t seen you for a long time; you really made father miss you.”
Huang Qi breathed a sigh of relief and then stepped into the study. Fearing of revealing his disguise, he didn’t take too large steps.
“Fu Gui, go quickly and get something for Miss to eat.”
Cheng Yuan immediately instructed the servant.
Huang Qi wanted to refuse, but the servant had already received the order and left. So, he had no choice but to suppress his inner restlessness and sit on a chair, carefully covering his feet with the hem of his skirt.
“Didn’t your mother say you went to the Changhe Sect? How is it there?”
Cheng Yuan asked while pouring water for his daughter.
How could Huang Qi know about Hong Ling Fairy’s affairs? So, he wisely chose silence, letting his cheap father guess for himself.
“What’s wrong? Are you planning to go or not?”
Cheng Yuan asked, puzzled.
Huang Qi didn’t expect this cheap father to be so persistent. He didn’t know how to respond for a moment. However, remembering Jiang Liniang’s reaction after his appearance, and as the saying goes, a mother knows her daughter best. Since Jiang Liniang believed it was impossible for Hong Ling Fairy to join the Changhe Sect, the actual situation should be not much different. Thus, he said, “I’m not going.”
“Heh, I knew this would happen.”
Cheng Yuan chuckled with a “just as I expected” expression. “You always have a cold face, and people who don’t know you would think you’re naturally cold-hearted. In reality, we parents know that you’re just outwardly cold but inwardly warm.”
Huang Qi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, glad he hadn’t said anything wrong.
“If you’re not going, then you’re not going. After all, the HongHua Sect is good to you. As for those cultivation resources, Father will do his best to get them for you.”
Cheng Yuan comforted him.
Seeing that his cheap father had finished speaking, Huang Qi could no longer suppress his impulse and spoke up to test him, “I heard Mother say that the Prefect’s son found you again?”
“Yes, that kid wants to marry you as soon as possible, so he even wants to change your Tooth Token to make you a year older. It’s truly self-deception. Does he think I would agree?”
Cheng Yuan said with a disdainful laugh.
“How about… I let him get me a Tooth Token.”
Huang Qi cautiously tested the waters.
“What? Do you really want to marry him?”
Cheng Yuan suddenly stood up from his chair.
